Air conditioning during heatwave isn’t just a luxury, it’s Fresno’s great separator | Opinion
Even in the coolest of times, the injustices of life in Fresno and other nearby cities are difficult to ignore.
In the hottest of times, they become impossible.
During extended heatwaves like the one we’re currently experiencing, San Joaquin Valley residents can be divided into two groups: those who have air conditioning in their homes and places of work, and those who suffer.
I consider myself extremely fortunate to be among the first subset. Never more so than right now. Outside my house it’s 109 degrees – the eighth consecutive day of temperatures above 105, a streak that may threaten the all-time record of 14 days set in July 1988.
Inside, it’s a comfortable 78. (Comfortable enough.) I also have the option of working in an air-conditioned office and commuting in an air-conditioned vehicle. By limiting outside chores and exercise to the early morning and evening hours, my exposure to that giant broiler in the sky is limited and somewhat optional.
How many people around these parts would kill (in the figurative sense, hopefully) to trade climate-controlled places with me?
Certainly Miguel, the friendly, hard-working gardener trimming and blowing my neighbor’s yard at 4 in the afternoon. So too would Gabriel, a recent acquaintance who spends his work hours waving a furniture store sign on Blackstone Ave.
Those were just the first two names that came to mind. Gotta think thousands of farm laborers, construction workers and other landscapers would happily make the switch.
Let’s also spare a few thoughts for everyone living in houses, apartments and trailers that don’t have air conditioning – or can’t afford the soaring PG&E bill. Many of those residences are outfitted with swamp coolers, which are less effective in extreme heat.
While studies have shown that nearly 30% of Californians don’t have a/c in their homes, I’d be willing to bet the percentage for Fresno-area residents is even higher.
What do those folks do when their living rooms feel like a sweat lodge? Some probably pass the most searing hours by going to a community center, an indoor mall, the library or to the movies. But many more probably stay home with as many fans pointed in their direction as possible.
For Fresno’s unhoused populace, three city-operated cooling centers (that open whenever the temperature forecast is above 105) are virtually the only option.
Air conditioning during a heatwave isn’t merely a luxury, it’s our region’s great separator. The dividing line between the literal cool crowd and the sweltering.
A tale of 3 cats
This applies not only to people but also to all living creatures.
Before escaping to the Sierra National Forest for a weeklong camping trip over the Fourth of July, I pegged the thermostat to 78 degrees. Simply for the comfort of a 14-year-old housecat.
Winona, who lived with my sister in San Francisco until a couple Christmases ago, spends the majority of her afternoons napping on an ottoman that sits against an exterior wall and directly below an a/c vent.
The old girl doesn’t realize it, but on the opposite side of that wall, quite often, are two community cats that get food and water from my neighbor but prefer to hang out in my backyard.
Less than 2 feet separate the three cats. Yet while Winona slumbers in the cool comfort of my living room, Yeti and Mama (the names we’ve given them) endure the heat.
Life simply isn’t fair, regardless if you’re a feline or human being. (Not that Winona would tolerate any interlopers. She’s not exactly social.)
None of this is meant to imply things in Fresno are equitable when temperatures are mild. They most certainly are not. There is simply too much data correlating individual census tracts to factors such as air pollution exposure, access to green space and even life expectancies.
But when it’s above 108 degrees for an entire week (and counting), the differences between the haves and have nots is never more extreme.
